Known plastic dispensing closures include a closure body that is secured to the neck of a container by threading the body onto the neck finish threads of the container. A cover cap is molded with the body and attached by a snap hinge such that the cap is pivoted between an open position for discharging product from the container and a closed position closing the discharge outlet. The hinge is integrally molded from the polymeric plastic of the closure and cap and enables the cap to be pivoted relative to the closure by simple hand manipulation of the user. Typical snap-hinged dispensing closures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,638,916, 4,625,898 and 4,487,324.
Prior art closures using a cover cap have incorporated various locking flap features to render them child resistant. An example is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,100. Other dispensing closures, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,123, provide means on the main closure attaching it to the container threads to render it non-removable, and, thus provide child resistant, safety closures.
Presently, child resistant packages require at least two different manual manipulations by the user to open them; such as a simultaneous push and turn manipulation with one hand holding the container and the other hand pushing down on the closure while turning it in the unscrewing direction. Others require holding the container in one hand while the other hand lifts a part of the closure and simultaneously unscrews the closure from the container. Still others require holding the container in one hand and with the other hand squeezing the skirt from opposite sides and simultaneously unscrewing it from the container. In general, these manipulations require the use of both hands to open the package.